Walking home from school with my daughters one autumn day many years ago, we came upon some beautiful golden yellow fruit on the ground near the sidewalk. It was a kind we had never seen before. We took one home with the hope that we could discover what it was. When we cut it open both its fragrance and flesh made us think of apples -- and other fruits, too, though we couldn't decide which ones. We chose not to taste it fearing that it might be poisonous. We asked others if they knew what it was but no one did.Our search for the identity of the fruit took place before the internet was available and in the days after the fruit's popularity had declined. Not even a book about fruit told us what it was. Only in the past several years did I learn that we'd found a quince. One rarely hears about quinces these days. Our local stores don't sell them nor do the farmers' markets.
Have you eaten quinces before? Did my grandmother or one of her relatives have a quince tree and is that why she has a recipe for Quince Honey?
This is another page from my grandmother's Webster's Spelling Recipe Book. You'll notice how faded the penciled recipes are on this page. The photo is contrast-enhanced and yet it is still light, but if you click on the image to enlarge it you'll be able to clearly see the handwriting.
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Quince Honey
6 lbs sugar
3 pints water boil 10 min
Add 6 large quinces which have been pared and grated
Cook 30 min then pour in glasses
cover when cool
Jelly Roll or Sponge Cake
yolks of 4 eggs
3 tablespoons waterhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
beat add 1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon corn starch in 1 cup and fill with flour
2 teaspoon B. Powder sifted with flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 [teaspoon] " vanilla
fold in whites of eggs beaten
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The image of the quince came from Creative Commons and tells this information about it: Champion quince, Cydonia oblonga, Watercolor by Amanda A. Newton (12/03/1909) From: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cor/pwc/cydonia-art.html
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteWe use to help my Grandma Jonard pick Quices. She made jelly with them.
I have never heard of a Quince but they sound yummy. I think the next time I'm in the city I will ask around at the farmers markets...I want to try some Quine honey!! :)
ReplyDeleteJoyce, did you ever eat them raw? Was the jelly smooth or was it more like jam?
ReplyDeleteTracie, I hope you can find some. I think I'll start keeping an eye out and ask around. I'd like to try some fresh quinces.
Thank you both for visiting and leaving comments. I appreciate it.
I remember it being a yellowish clear jelly.
ReplyDeleteI've never eaten quince, but I remember finding that one and a certain poem where they dined upon mince and pieces of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon.
ReplyDeleteI'm really intrigued by quinces, and hope that I find some someday so I can try a few quince recipes. It's really fascinating how a fruit that apparently was once popular has declined to much in popularity.
ReplyDeleteYour grandmother's cookbook looks fascinating. The food stains on the page suggest that she made the quince recipes from time to time.
I hope you find some, too, Sheryl. I wish we'd known what the fruit was when we found it and tried it. I think it's interesting how trends and interests in food change over time. I wonder what fruits our ancestors regularly used that we are not acquainted with (in addition to quince).
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